Ignition-controlling apparatus.



G. MITCHELL, Jn. IGNITION CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 21, 1907. 399,751

Patented Sept. 29, 1908. I

I inn-i=2 I -|||||||lllll hllwlilk .Z' N VHENTOR CHARLES MITCHELL, JR, or MlLWAU'KEE, WISCONSIN.

'mm'noN-coN'rnoLLme APPARATUS.

To aZZ :whom' it may concern: I

Be 1t known that L-CIIARLES MITCHELL,

' Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ignition-Qontrolling Ap-" paratus, of which the following is a specifica- My invention relates to improvements in ignition controlling devices for internal combustion engines."

The object of my invention is-to provide means whereby one or more electrical lgniters' may be operated from two difierent sourcesof electrical energy, for one of which the circuit is normally broken, while the other is normally closed through the igniter, with' means for automatically closing the normally 0 en or auxiliary circuit through the igniter, whenever the current is interrupted from any cause in the other ,or main circuit also to provide means whereby a renewal of the current in the main circuit will automatically breakthe other circuit; also to provide means whereby a signal will be automatically given whenever the current is interruptedin the main circuit and the auxiliary circuit closed.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which .the elements of my device are illustrated conventionally, one of, the solenoids being shown in section.

.The drawing illustrates my invention as employed 1n copnection with two internal" combustionenglnes- 1 and 2, from which it will beunderstood that any desirednumber of engines may be similarly connected; The main circuit is supplied from a generator 3 which in the illustration, is in circuit with the igniter of the engine-1, through the conductor a and b, armature switch bar 4 and conductor (1, the igniter, and conductor e, f, g, h, and 'i. The conductors d and 0 connect with each other through the igniter of the engine 1 and P the conductors f and 9 connect witlr'each other through the lamps 5. The switch bar 4 is automatically held in contact with the terminals 0 b means'of; a solenoid 6 which is provided Witli a slidingcore "7 and a rod 8 to which the switch bar 4 is connected. When the circuit of the generator 3 is closed, a portion ofthe current passes from the conductor a through the conductor is, switch m, and conductor n, the solenoid 6, and conductor 0 to the conductor '5, thus completing a' circuit through thosolenoid and energizing the lat- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 21, 1907. Serial No 398,324.

Patented Sept. 29,1908.

ter to lift the switch bar 4 into contact with the under surface of the terminals 'c, but in case the circuitof the generator 3 is interrupted, the sole'noid'is at once deenergized,

permitting the core 7 to drop until a switch bar 9 carried thereby bridges the space between the terminals g. and q. Thereupon a circuit of battery-10 is closed through conuctor r,,switch bar 9, conductors s and d,

d igniter, and'conductor e which leads back to t e batter through spark coil 11.

When t e circuit of'generator 3 is again established throu h the solenoid 6 it energizes the latter and lifts switch bar 4 from the electrodes 9 into contact with the terminals 0, thus breaking the circuit of the battery 10, and again establishing the circuit of the generator 3 through the lgniter. Itwill be observed that the terminals of; the battery and dynamo circuits are arranged in sets, the set of terminals 0, c, which control the dynamo set, being directly above the corres onding terminals g and g, which control the circuit for the engines.

Where the igniters of several engines are to be operated from a common source of electrical energy, preferably employed, one for each engine, and the solenoidsv are preferably connected with the circuit in parallel as shown in the drawing. The same reference characters are applied to the parts pertaining to the engine 2, with the'reference character 2 pre Xed, for example,-thecircuit of the genattery separate batteries .10 are erator 3 through .:the solenoid 26 is completed through the conductors a and 27c,

switch 2m, conductor 2n,'the solenoid 26and conductors 20 and 11. When the solenoid 26 is energized, the circuit of the generator 3 will be completed through the igniter'of eninc 2, throughconductor-a, 6,-21), switch %ar 24, conductor 2d, the igniter, and conductor 2e, 2]; 2g, h and i: battery 210 is connected with the conductor 1' through a conductor 21'. minals 2g is connected with the conductor 1' by a conductor 2r, and the other terminal 2g is connected withthe conductor 2d by means ofa conductor 28. g

- In case one of the engines is to remain idle while theother is in operation, the switch m (or 2m) corresponding with the idle engine, is opened thus cutting outthe solenoid pertaining to thatengine. 'Anoth'er switch 15 Onepole of the One of the terengine.

the auxiliary circuit closed for any engine, 1t -1s deslrable that notice of the change of circuits should be given and this is accomplished by m'e'ans of a signal indicated by the bell 16 in the drawings. T-his bell is in circuit with a battery 17, the circuit of which is closed through the bell by either the switch bar 19 or 29 in dropping to the terminals of. the auxiliary circuit, for example,the circuit of the battery 17 may be closed through the conductors t, 2t, switch bar 29, conductor 2a, switch 18 and conductors 212, w, the bell and conductor m. It may also be-closed through the conductor 2%, switch bar 9, conductor a,- switch bar 19, conductor w, the bell and conductor :0. It will be observed that conductors u and 2a respectively are connected with the terminals g and 21 while the conductors t and 2t are arranged for separate electrical contact, with the switch bar 9 and 29 respeci tively, so that the circuits of'the batteries 10 and 210 will not be closed through the bell when the solenoids are energized. a With this construction, whenever one of the solenoids is deenergized permitting the core and corresponding switch bar to drop from the terminals of the main circuit to the terminals of the secondary circuit, the bell 16 will immediately sound and thus give notice of the fact that the main circuit has been interrupted, provided of course, that the switch 15 for the corresponding engine is closed for the operation of the engine. As soon as the main circuit is again established through the solenoid it becomes energized -and thus again closes the main circuit through the igniter, breaking the battery circuit and the bell circuit.- Where it is not desired that the bell should sound, the

cuits each having a set of terminals, and independent sources of electrical energy, of a solenoid electrically connected with one of the sources of energy, an igniter included in said circuits, and a switch located between the sets of terminals controlled. by the solenoid and adapted to make or break either of said circuits through the igniter; said solenoid being provided with a longitudinally movable core bar, and said switch being directly connected and arranged to move bodily with the core bar from one set of terminals to the other.

2. In apparatus of the described class, the combination with a plurality of electrical cir cuits each having a set of terminals, and in dependent sources ol 'elcctrieal energy, of a solenoid electrically connected, with one of the sources of energy, an igniter included in said circuits, and a switch lo -ated between the sets of terminals controlled by the solenoid and adapted to make or break either of said circuits through the igniter, said switch being arranged to be moved in one direction by the solenoid and in the other direct ion by gravity; one terminal of each set being iude-' pend'ently connected with the correspomling source of electrical energy and the other ter: minal being connected with a conduct orcommon to, both sources of electrical energy, the terminals for the respective circuits being located on op )osito sides of the switch, and said switch being arranged to move bodily from one set of terminals to the other..

3. In apparatus of the described class, the

' combination with a plurality of electrical cir- ,igniter circuits having terminals abovc and the other having terminals below said switch,

whereby, when the solenoid is energized, the .7

switch is lifted to contact with the upper-terminals, and permitted t rop by gravity to the lower terminals when the solenoid is deenergized.

In testimony whereof I aflizc my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B/IIYIXIIIICLIIJ, J n. Witnesses:

LEVERETT 0. WHEELER,

llIAS..B. PERRY. 

